Article for postal conveyance, especially one allowing for a reply

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a postal article or envelope for postal conveyance, especially a so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;return or reply&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; article. The article includes a casing or wrapper consisting of a nontransparent base or bottom portion, which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover, and an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion and substantially covering the latter. A first address or forwarding address is provided on the outside of the casing in the form of a label or by printing. A second or return address is provided inside the casing, either on the base portion or the rearward side of the insert so as to be hidden by the insert, whereby the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address. The addresses are located in relation to each other that, when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert, the first address will denote the sender while the second address will denote the addressee.

United States Patent Melander Aug. 12, 1975 [76] Inventor: Lars Paul Melander, Kryssarvagen 13, 5-183 52 Taby, Sweden [22] Filed: Apr. 15, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 460,701

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 19, 1973 Sweden 7305661 [52] US. Cl. 229/73; 229/71; 229/928 [51] Int. Cl B65d 27/06 [58] Field of Search 229/71, 73, 92.8

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 866,172 9/1907 Westphall 229/92.8 X

868,804 10/1907 Peppler 229 71 932,090 8/1909 Barber 229/71 1,387,784 8/1921 Levaur.. 229/71 1,439,637 12/1922 Pepin 229/71 2,374,026 4/1945 McKeen 229/71 X 2.576.667 11/1951 Bly 229/928 X 3,111,257 11/1963 Peach 229/73 Primary Examiner-William I. Price Assistant ExaminerStephen P. Garbe Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn 57 ABSTRACT The invention relates to a postal article or envelope for postal conveyance, especially a so-called return or reply article. The article includes a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion, which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover, and an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion and substantially covering the latter. A first address or forwarding address is provided on the outside of the casing in the form of a label or by printing. A second or return address is provided inside the casing, either on the base portion or the rearward side of the insert so as to be hidden by the insert, whereby the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address. The addresses are located in relation to each other that, when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert, the first address will denote the sender while the second address will denote the addressee.

14 Claims. 10 Drawing Figures Address 26 PATENTEU 3,899,127

SHEET 1 Fig. la Fig. l

E-I2 if)": I Address B Sender 24, L j

| L l 4 i 22 iAddress B .lllll 1| PATENTEDAUG12I975 3,899,127 SHEET 2 iftLAddress A l PATENTEU AUG 1 2 I975 SHEET Fig. 7

ARTICLE FOR POSTAL CONVEYANCE, ESPECIALLY ONE ALLOWING FOR A REPLY The present invention relates to an article intended for postal conveyance especially of the kind which in the form of printed matter or the like presents a message to a recipient, who is then invited to send a'gratis reply.

A postal reply item of this kind is generally made so that the sender in an open letter or wrapper sends a sec ondary item in the form of a card or the like on which the recipient can make notes, and in his turn put in the mail, whereat the card according to postal regulations is provided with a notice saying that it can be posted without being stamped. Another usual type of reply document contains a singly or doubly folded card or the like, from which the recipient tears off a coupon or reply card which he posts.

An inconvenience with this kind of postal article is that it requires of the recipient that he note his own name and address on the postal reply item and the system is fairly demanding in material.

The object of the invention is to provide a simplified postal article of the kind in question, which is partly conservative of material and partly allows simpler handling, to which may be added that it allows not only a single return sender-recipient-sender, but the new postal item can in principle be used an unlimited number of times in communication between a sender and a certain recipient. The heart of the invention can be said to lie in the fact that the wrapping or casing of the postal article is primarily utilized for the reply, and not its contents or enclosure. The object of the invention is attained and the above indicated inconveniences bound up with the postal reply items at present existing are obviated by the postal article according to the invention.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of exemplification while referring to the attached drawings, on which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a base or bottom portion included in the wrapper or casing of the postal article according to the invention, while FIG. la is a vertical section through the portion.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a transparent envelope or covering portion, which is also a part of the wrapper or casing of the postal article, and FIG. 2a represents a vertical section through the cover.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the completed casing, and FIG. 3a is a vertical section through the casing.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the face side of the contents or insert portion of the postal article according to the invention, in this case a simple card and FIG. 4a is a vertical section through the card.

FIG. 5, finally, is a plan view of the completed postal article comprising casing and insert seen from the face, while FIG. 5a shows a vertical section through the postal article. FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sections showing modifications of the invention.

In FIGS. 1-3 an example is shown of the construction of the casing or wrapper of the postal article according to the invention. The casing can be made in several ways and assume different shapes (examples will be given in the following), but in this case the casing is made to correspond with the post card provided with a cover as described in Swedish Pat. No. 3 l7,247. The casing 10 shown in its entirety in FIG. thus comprises a non-transparent base or bottom portion 12 (FIG. 1)

on whicha cover 14 (FIG. 2) in the shape of a thin transparent paper or plastic film has been laid and attached to the base along two long sides and the short side where binding agent joints 16 are formed. An opening 18 for the insert is thus to be found at the remaining free short side.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown here, the base portion 12 is provided with an address area 20 arranged somewhat to the right of the middle of the portion, seen in FIG. I, said address area having an address B, which is printed on or otherwise placed on base portion 12. There is further a stamping area 22 at the upper right corner of the portion which according to applicable postage regulations is printed with Do not stamp etc.. There is finally an area or space 24 arranged for the words Sender or Sent by.

In FIGS. 2 and 2a the cover 14 is shown by itself, and as may be seen, it is provided with an address area 26 having a primary address A. This area is so placed that inside the completed casing 10 it is positioned immediately under area 24 on the base portion 12, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. This address A is naturally put on when the rest of the cover is completed, it being applied by an addressing machine, if the cover 14 is of transparent paper, or is put on in the form of an addressing label. The address A can thus be varied from casing to casing, while all the casings in this example are provided on their bottom portions 12 with the markings 20, 22 and 24, visible through the cover 14. A completed casing 10 will thus have the appearance as shown in FIG. 3, and by itself it forms a postal article having a reply address to B, with the sender given as A.

As required by circumstances, the casing can be provided with further picture or text material of an informative nature, which has not been shown on the drawings for the sake of clarity.

In FIG. 4 is shown the insert, which is a part of the postal article according to the invention, in its simplest form, namely a simple card 30. On its face side this is suitably provided with an area 32 with the words To, said area having a definite location on the card as will be more closely described below. The card 30 can further be provided with an area 34 printed with Sender: B, this area being suitably placed above area 32. In appropriate cases the card 30 is provided with postal data such as Second class mail, Addressed Bulk Printed Matter or the like in an area 36. Finally, the card 30 can also be provided with further prints of an informative nature, especially on its reverse side, although this has not been more closely stated on the drawings.

If the card 30 is now introduced into the casing 10 through the insertion opening 18, so that its face side is visible through the cover 14 of the casing, the postal article according to the invention will then show a face side according to FIG. 5, where the postal article as a whole is designated by 40. As may be seen it has a forwarding address A to the addressee, and has B as the address of the sender. The above-mentioned field 32 with the word To on the card 30 is thus so located that it comes above the address field 26 on the face side of the casing. It is pointed out meanwhile that this field 32 on card 30 is not necessary in itself and may be dispensed with.

In the light of the above description it should be easily understood how the postal article according to this embodiment of the invention is used in practice as second class mail or bulk printed matter. It is thus B which distributes the article, and his address and the information he wishes to communicate is arranged beforehand on the base portion 12 of the casing of the article, possibly also on insert 30. The individual recipients of the postal article are represented by A, and for each one the casing 10 is provided with the appropriate address within area 26 on the outside of cover 14. Each postal article 40 is prepared by inserting a card in the casing 10. The card hides the basic portion 12, and the article is thus posted with the appearance shown in FIG. 5, to be received by A. If A desires to continue communication, he only needs to remove the card and post the casing by itself. The postal article now has the appearance shown in FIG. 3, which obviously means that it returns to B with A noted as the sender, something which in the simplest case is an admonition to B to take contact with A; the latter can naturally also in his turn send a message, e.g. on the reverse side of base portion 12, in the form of ticks on ordering or question lists provided with boxes, or other notes.

It should now be observed, as was indicated by way of introduction, that in principle the postal dialogue between A and B can continue indefinitely, based on the casing 10. This, which B has received in return, can be provided with a new insert 30 containing supplementary information to A, who in his turn can take out the new insert and return the casing as before, the only requirement being that the printed information on the casing and insert are suited in the correct manner.

Several variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the casing can be made with a cover 14 on both sides of the base portion 12 or, with the same result, it can consist of an open plastic envelope 14A (FIG. 6) in which a sheet or carton has been inserted to form base portion 12, which then will be surrounded on both sides by the plastic envelope. This casing can be used in exactly the same way as described above, the difference only being that the addressee B does not need to throw away insert 30, but can insert iton the reverse side of base portion 12.

A further variant of practical importance is obtained if the insert, e.g. in the form of a card 30, is provided on its reverse side with all the information which is given according to FIG. 1 on the base portion 12 of the casing. Neither in this case does the addressee A throw away the card, but re-inserts it in the casing, in the same place but reversed, so that the information according to FIG. 1 provided on its reverse side now faces outward and is visible through cover 14. The postal article thus obtains the appearance shown in FIG. 3, but with the card remaining and can be posted in return as before. Finally, the insert does not need to consist of a single card, but can be folded double (as illustrated by card 30A in FIG. 7) or consist of a more extensive printed article of arbitrary appearance having plural overlapping sheetlike layers; the requirement is only that it shall have one or two face sides which can be seen through the casing in the manner described above.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown or described above, but can be varied in further respects within the scope of the basic inventive idea.

I claim:

1. A postal article for postal conveyance, especially a so-called return or reply article comprising, firstly,

' a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, wherein a. a first address or, forwarding address is provided on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing;

b. a second or return address is provided inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address;

c. which addresses are so placed and located in relation to each other that when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert, the first address will denote the sender, while the second address will denote the addressee; and

d. a notation is provided inside the casing, the notation being normally hidden by the insert but becoming visible when the curtaining effect of the insert is removed, the notation being so placed in relation to one of the addresses that it appears adjacent said one address for the purpose of indicating the function of said one address when the curtaining effect of the insert is removed.

2. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the base portion of the casing is covered on one wide by the cover, which as been united with the base portion along the envelope, and the insert being placed on one or the other side of the base portion.

4. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the insert consists of a card with the return address placed on one side so that the return address is hidden by the insert being placed in the casing with said one side turned towards the base portion, while said return address is arranged to appear visibly through the casing cover when the card is reversed whereby said one side is turned towards the cover.

5. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the insert consists of a printed item having a plurality of overlapping sheetlike layers, the return address being applied to one of the sides of the insert, said side being hidden, but with the insert adapted so that it may be placed in the casing with this side facing outward towards the cover so that the return address appears readably through the cover.

6. A method of conducting postal communication by means of a postal article comprising, firstly, a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover and, secondly, an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, said method including the steps of a. providing a first address or forwarding address on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing;

b. providing a second or return address inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address;

c. manipulating the insert, upon arrival of the article at its destination, in such a way that the second address appears through the transparent cover so that both addresses are visible simultaneously and are mutually oriented such that the first address is disposed leftwardly of the second address so that the first address now will denote the sender while the second address will denote the addressee.

7. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing a notation for indicating the sender inside the casing, hidden by the insert, to become visible together with the second address by said manipulation of the insert, the notation being so placed in relation to the first address that it appears adjacent thereto, for the purpose of clearly indicating the new function of said first address as the address of the sender.

8. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing a postal article in the form of a casing consisting of a base portion covered on one side by a transparent cover, which has been united with the base portion along three of its sides, while an insertion opening is left between the base portion and the cover along the fourth side, and introducing the insert through said opening.

9. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing a postal article comprising a casing consisting of an envelope with an insertion opening along one side, the envelope forming the transparent cover and incorporating the base portion which consists of a separate sheet, and placing the insert on one or the other side of the sheet.

10. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing the return address on the base portion of the casing in such a way that it is hidden by the insert and manipulating the insert by simply removing it so as to make said return address readably appearing through the cover of the casing.

11. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing the return address on one side of a card forming the insert of the postal article, and introducing the card into the casing optionally turned in such a way that the return address is either concealed or appears visible through the cover of the casing.

12. A method according to claim 6, including. the steps of providing the return address on one side of the insert which comprises a printed item having plural overlapping sheetlike layers, and introducing said item such that the side having the return address is either concealed or appears visible through the cover of the casing.

13. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the return address is placed on the base portion of the easing in such a way that it is hidden by the insert so that removal of the insert from the casing makes the return address visible through the cover.

14. A postal article for postal conveyance, especially a so-called return or reply article comprising, firstly, a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover and, secondly, an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, wherein a. a first address or forwarding address is provided on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing;

b. a second or return address is provided inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address;

0. which first and second addresses are so placed and located in relation to each other that when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert; the first address will denote the sender while the second address will denote the sendee and d. the second address is located centrally or on the rightward side of the article when viewing same, and the first address is located leftwardly of the second address, so that when the first and second addresses appear simultaneously the first address will denote the sender and the second address will denote the addressee. 

1. A postal article for postal conveyance, especially a socalled ''''return or reply'''' article comprising, firstly, a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover and, secondly, an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, wherein a. a first address or forwarding address is provided on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing; b. a second or return address is provided inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address; c. which addresses are so placed and located in relation to each other that when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert, the first address will denote the sender, while the second address will denote the addressee; and d. a notation is provided inside the casing, the notation being normally hidden by the insert but becoming visible when the curtaining effect of the insert is removed, the notation being so placed in relation to one of the addresses that it appears adjacent said one address for the purpose of indicating the function of said one address when the curtaining effect of the insert is removed.
 2. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the base portion of the casing is covered on one wide by the cover, which as been united with the base portion along three of its edges, while an insertion opening is left between the base portion and the cover along the edge, through which the insert is introduced.
 3. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises an envelope with an insertion opening along one edge, at least one side of the envelope being transparent, the base portion being positioned within the envelope, and the insert being placed on one or the other side of the base portion.
 4. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the insert consists of a card with the return address placed on one side so that the return address is hidden by the insert being placed in the casing with said one side turned towards the base portion, while said return address is arranged to appear visibly through the casing cover when the card is reversed whereby said one side is turned towards the cover.
 5. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the insert consists of a printed item having a plurality of overlapping sheetlike layers, the return address being applied to one of the sides of the insert, said side being hidden, but with the insert adapted so that it may be placed in the casing with this side facing outward towards the cover so that the return address appears readably through the cover.
 6. A method of conducting postal communication by means of a postal article comprising, firstly, a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover and, secondly, an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, said method including the steps of a. providing a first address or forwarding address on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing; b. providing a second or return address inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address; c. manipulating the insert, upon arrival of the article at its destination, in such a way that the second address appears through the transparent cover so that both addresses are visible simultaneously and are mutually oriented such that the first address is disposed leftwardly of the second address so that the first address now will denote the sender while the second address will denote the addressee.
 7. A method according to claim 6, including the stEps of providing a notation for indicating the sender inside the casing, hidden by the insert, to become visible together with the second address by said manipulation of the insert, the notation being so placed in relation to the first address that it appears adjacent thereto, for the purpose of clearly indicating the new function of said first address as the address of the sender.
 8. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing a postal article in the form of a casing consisting of a base portion covered on one side by a transparent cover, which has been united with the base portion along three of its sides, while an insertion opening is left between the base portion and the cover along the fourth side, and introducing the insert through said opening.
 9. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing a postal article comprising a casing consisting of an envelope with an insertion opening along one side, the envelope forming the transparent cover and incorporating the base portion which consists of a separate sheet, and placing the insert on one or the other side of the sheet.
 10. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing the return address on the base portion of the casing in such a way that it is hidden by the insert and manipulating the insert by simply removing it so as to make said return address readably appearing through the cover of the casing.
 11. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing the return address on one side of a card forming the insert of the postal article, and introducing the card into the casing optionally turned in such a way that the return address is either concealed or appears visible through the cover of the casing.
 12. A method according to claim 6, including the steps of providing the return address on one side of the insert which comprises a printed item having plural overlapping sheetlike layers, and introducing said item such that the side having the return address is either concealed or appears visible through the cover of the casing.
 13. A postal article according to claim 1, wherein the return address is placed on the base portion of the casing in such a way that it is hidden by the insert so that removal of the insert from the casing makes the return address visible through the cover.
 14. A postal article for postal conveyance, especially a so-called ''''return or reply'''' article comprising, firstly, a casing or wrapper consisting of a non-transparent base or bottom portion which at least on one side is covered by a transparent cover and, secondly, an insert introduced between the cover and the base portion, substantially covering the latter, wherein a. a first address or forwarding address is provided on the cover of the casing in the form of a label or by printing; b. a second or return address is provided inside the casing, hidden by the insert, so that the destination of the postal article is determined by the first address; c. which first and second addresses are so placed and located in relation to each other that when they appear simultaneously due to the removal of the curtaining effect of the insert; the first address will denote the sender while the second address will denote the sendee and d. the second address is located centrally or on the rightward side of the article when viewing same, and the first address is located leftwardly of the second address, so that when the first and second addresses appear simultaneously the first address will denote the sender and the second address will denote the addressee. 